Electrical connector



Feb. 9, 1943. s BUCHANAN $19,212

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed April 25, 1941 Ill/1111 4 Patented Feb. 9, 1943 ELECTRICAL oomvsc'ron Stephen N. Buchanan, Washington, I). 0., assignor to Aircraft-Marine Products, Inc., Elizabeth,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 23, .1941, Serial No. 389,965

1 Claim.

This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to a device for mechanically and electrically interrupting or making an electrical circuit.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide a make and break means for an electrical circuit which may be easily connected and disconnected but which is adapted to withstand a moderate tensile strain and vibrations.

Another object of this invention is. to provide a connecting means for the grounding circuits of an airplane structure which enables one to readily make or break the circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a connecting means which is substantially sealed to prevent sthe accidental splashing of water against the connection.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a detailed section of the male member of the connector.

7 Figure 2 is a sectional view of the female member of the connector.

Figure 3 is a detailed section of the resilient means for holding the male and female member in connected position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the male and female member in assembled position to make the electrical circuit.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a plane view showing the male and female member in assembled relation to make the electrical circuit.

The present invention may be used broadly for any electrical purpose where it is desired, at times, to interrupt an electrical circuit and in which it is also desirable to mechanically break the circuit as well as electrically break it. For jthis purpose, male, or stud, and female, or housing, members are provided which may be electric ally connected to the conductor means so that the one member may be inserted in the other to complete the circuit. The construction herein shown is particularly useful for completing a grounding circuit around the metallic structural system of an airplane in order to ground all static charges which may be developed in this frame work,

The male member of the connector means is best shown in Figure 1 and includes a socket l0 into which a cable is inserted so that the socket may be crimped onto the conductor to frictionally bind them together. This member has an extending plug element H which may be split to provide a resilient means engaging the female member and the plug may be constructed of any suitable material for making a good electrical connection. The male member is further provided with a laterally disposed flange 12 which has an external head or cam surface l3, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

The female member has a socket portion !5 that is electrically connected to the cable by a suitable crimping or otheroperation at one end and which is so shaped as to receive the plug I l at the other end. The socket member has a preferably closed housing structure 16 rigidly secured thereto, and as shown in Figure 2 this housing may be affixed to the socket member by expanding the portion ll of the socket member around the inturned flange I8 of the housing to confine it against the shoulder [9 of the socket member. It is to be understood, however, that the housing l6 may be a separate element secured to the female member in any suitable manner or it may be formed as an integral portion thereof.

The housing l6 has an annular spring receiving channel 20 disposed substantially at its outer end and, asshown in the drawing, the channel is preferably of semi-circular shape to receive the resilient ring 2|. The housing l6 has an opening 22 through which the flange l2 of the male member may pass and, as shown in Figure 4, in assembled relation the flange l2 of the male member is somewhat larger in diameter than the inside diameter of the ring 2|.

Referring again to Figure 4, the spring receiving channel 20 is shown in its preferred form and has an internal diameter D which is at least equal to and may be slightly larger than the total diameter d of flange l2 plus twice the diameter d of the wire of which the ring is formed.

As indicated above, the dimension of the parts are such that the plug ll of the male member may be inserted in the socket 15 of the female member and the flange I2 is then adapted to cooperate with the housing structure, as shownin Figure 4.

The conductors being electrically connected to each of the male and female members through sockets l0 and i5, respectively, the electrical circult is established by exerting a suitable compressive force upon the male and female members to cause the plug H to enter the socket l5. As the plug is forced inwardly, the flange i2 is driven into the housing [6 and the cam surface l3 engages spring 2i to expand it outwardly into the annular channel 20. Upon continued inward movement of the male member the spring 2| will, after passing over the highest portion of the cam surface i3, contract and continuously engage the surface iii to resiliently urge the flange ll of the male member into firm contact with the extended portion ll of the female member. The spring will thus act at all times to exert a force tending to cause the male and female members to have a tight engagement to thus aid in establishing an efllcient electrical connection having a. low voltage drop. Such a connection is insured by reason of the total area of plug 1 I in contact with socket i and due also to the continuous tightening action accomplished by the force of the spring exerted against the cam surface l3.

When it is desired to break the contact, the members are subjected to a tensile force which will cause the spring 2| to be expanded by the cam surface l3 as the male member is retracted. The spring will thus be caused to expand over the highest point of the cam and permit the male member to be removed from electrical and mechanical connection with the female member.

The invention herein disclosed provides a connecting means by which a mechanical and electrical connection may be readily made or broken and in which a continuous force is exerted, while the members are in electrical connection, tending to tighten the electrical contacts, to insure that the electrical circuit will be properly made at all times. The spring, in addition to this, serves also as a means for providing a snap action latching means which will prevent vibrations and small tensile strains from accidentally breaking the circuit.

The housing i6, as above stated, is preferably closed. lhis construction is provided to substaniially seal the contacting surfaces of the plug H and socket [5 against drops of water which may be splashed in the direction of the connector. From an inspection of the assembled relation of the parts as shown in Figure 4, it is apparent that the shape of the housing is such that no water could be splashed directly against the contacting surfaces when the circuit is made so that, among other advantages, the dangers of thus corroding the elements is minimized.

While the herein disclosed embodiment of the invention shows sockets l0 and I5 to receive the cable, any suitable means could be provided to make an electrical connection between the conductors and the male and female elements, and thus threaded means may be provided on either one or both of the members to connect the same to the cable or other elements of the circuit.

As above indicated, the particular use for this connector means is for the grounding circuits of a metallic airplane frame work to control static electricity. However, many. other uses may be made of this particular circuit make and break means. It is intended, therefore, that the disclosure herein made of the invention is by way of example only.

I claim:

An electrical connector comprising a stud member and a housing member, said housing member being provided with a central axial bore having a circumferential recess adjacent its mouth to provide an inwardly facing cam surface, and an abutment at the innerend of the bore, said stud member including a forwardly facing surface adapted to contact with the abutment in the bore and a rearwardly facing cam surface, and a resilient ring in the recess of the housing member of such diameter as to bear entirely between the rearwardly facing cam surface of the stud member and the inwardly facing cam surface of the housing member when the forwardly facing surface of the stud member is in contact with the abutment of the housing member bore so as to exert tension to hold said surface in a firm, water-resistant, electrical contact with the abutment, said recess being of such radial depth as to permit said ring to expand into the same to clear the stud member cam surface when strong axial pull is exerted upon the connector.

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN. 

